Beechworth Surgery COVID-19 Updates
The health services in Beechworth are working together to provide the best possible service to our community during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
You can refer to this page regularly for up-to-date advice and information from all Beechworth’s health services; our surgery, the Beechworth Health Service (hospital) and the Beechworth Pharmacy.
Managing the virus in the Beechworth Surgery
Beechworth Surgery continues to operate, including providing after hours on-call services, with additional measures to prevent and manage the spread of COVID-19.
These changes include:
- New questions we ask when you book an appointment
- Where you wait prior to seeing a doctor
- How we are protecting our clients who are immuno-compromised due to a range of conditions
- What we ask you to do if you suspect you have COVID-19 symptoms
- Regular cleaning of consultation rooms
- Offering alternative appointments by phone or telehealth if appropriate
COVID-19 Tests Locally
Should you, or a family member, have symptoms that you think could be COVID-19, please phone the Surgery first. If you are eligible for a COVID-19 test, that swab can be taken at the Beechworth Surgery. You do not need to go out of town for this.
What You Can Do
The following are some things YOU can help us with, to minimise the impact of COVID-19 locally:
1. Phone first
If you have a fever or respiratory symptoms (e.g. sore throat, cough, feeling short of breath) please phone BEFORE you present at the Beechworth Pharmacy, Beechworth Surgery or Beechworth Health Service or any other hospital in the region. You can phone each of these services direct, or the COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398
2. Preventing spread
It is vital that we prevent passage of the COVID-19 virus through good hand sanitation (regular hand washing with soap or use of an alcohol-based hand sanitiser), covering coughs and sneezes and disposing of used tissues. If you are at all unwell, please consider not visiting and exposing others, especially those most at risk such as our nursing home patients. Social distancing is critical and must be taken seriously.
3. Information hotlines
For information on COVID-19 call the National Helpline on 1800 020 080. If you are concerned you may have symptoms of COVID-19 infection, call the COVID-19 HOTLINE on 1800 675 398, or go to https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/what-you-need-to-know-about-coronavirus-covid-19.
4. Seasonal influenza vaccination
It is very important that as many people as possible have the influenza vaccine to reduce the chances of a concurrent influenza epidemic and the possibility of infection with influenza and COVID-19 at the same time.
Information about COVID-19 is changing all the time and we appreciate everyone’s patience as the situation evolves. We will provide updates here as we receive them.
